Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 7 May 2003

Vol. 566 No. 1

Written Answers. - Persons with Disabilities.

David Stanton

Question:

670 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the policy of his Department with regard to the employment of persons with disabilities; the actions that have been taken to encourage, enable and assist people with disabilities to gain employment in his Department and in bodies under the aegis of his Department; the current situation with regard to persons with disabilities employed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12154/03]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell)

In this, the European Year of People with Disabilities, I can assure the Deputy that my Department and the various bodies under its aegis has been and will remain committed to the employment of people with disabilities wherever possible. The emphasis is on ensuring that people with disabilities are facilitated with access to employment opportunities and that every necessary accommodation is made in this regard. To help achieve this, my Department has a disability liaison officer whose role is to act as a point of contact both within and between Departments for information and advice in relation to disability. The employee assistance service plays a valuable role in this regard as does management and staff alike within the Department. Disability awareness training has also been provided to a number of staff in the personnel area.

Under Sustaining Progress, it is accepted that the Government's 3% target for the employment of people with disabilities in the Civil Service has a key role to play in creating employment opportunities which might not otherwise be available. The Minister for Finance is responsible for this target which applies across the Civil Service and not just to individual Departments. As at December 2001 – the most recent figures available – the percentage of people with a disability in my Department was 2.61%. I am informed that this figure may be somewhat higher as there are people with disabilities employed throughout the Civil Service who do not wish to declare their disability. For my part, I am anxious to ensure that the Government target is achieved and my Department continues to liaise with the Civil Service and Local Appointments Commission in an effort to recruit people with disabilities wherever possible.

The Deputy may also be interested to note, in light of the commitment in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness and in order to establish how to improve adherence to the target, that the Department of Finance, in partnership with the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Civil Service and Local Appointments Commission, commissioned a study on the career progression of people with a disability in the Irish Civil Service. The research is completed and will be published shortly. The research maps out the current arrangements in respect of career progression for people with disabilities, highlights the challenges they face when seeking to progress their careers and makes recommendations for a model of best practice in this area for the future.